USA > Iowa > Cass County > History of Cass County, Iowa; together with sketches of its towns, villages, and townships; educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, and a brief review of its civil, political, and military history > Part 83
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La Salle county, Illinois, where he bought a farm and remained there eight years, when he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land at Crane Rapids, and there lived until coming to Cass county. Mr. and Mrs. Sundermann have been blessed with twelve children-Mena, Henry, Fred Samuel, Charlie, Amelia, Amanda, Willie, John, Lydia, Emma, Mary and Anna.
Justus Gerlach (deceased) came to Cass county in August, 1873. He bought wild land in the northwest quarter of section 10, Noble township, which he improved and made his home. He was born in Ger- mane, January 15, 1832. He learned the trade of blacksmith and carpenter, and when twenty years of age, came to Amer- ica, and settled in Luzerne county, Penn- sylvania, where he was employed as over- seer in a coal mine. He was married July 12, 1857, to Elizabeth Wolf, also a native of Germany. Seven children were born to them, four of whom are now living- Catherine, Louise, William and George H. Mr. Gerlach died July 28, 1879. The family now occupy the homestead.
John Berg came to Cass county in Jan- uary, 1873, and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of wild land on section 21, and has since that time cultivated his land, until 1881, when he sold it to his son William. Mr. Berg is a native of Germany, born on the 12th of September, 1821. In 1868, he came to the .United States, and first settled in La Salle county, Illinois, and remained there until 1873, when he came to Noble township, Cass county. He was married in Germany, to Elizabeth Hany, who died in December, 1879, leaving four children-August, Mary, Augusta and William. Since his
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wife's death, Mr. Berg has lived with his children, who welcome their aged father to their fireside.
Martin Bicking owns and occupies a farm on section 24, Noble township, where he settled in 1877. He is a native of Ger- many, and was born in that country, on the 24th of April, 1852. His youthful life was spent in a school, and when fifteen years of age, left his native land and came to America, locating in Pennsylvania, and when seventeen years old, he began as a blacksmith, in the village of Hazelton. His first visit to Cass county was in 1875, and staying but a few weeks, he returned to Hazelton, and continued his business until 1877, when he came to his present location. ITis farm is under a good state of cultivation, has erected a small shop in which he works at his trade at odd times. Mr. Bicking was married in 1877, to Rose Kreitzberg, who was born in Ger- many, and is the daughter of William and Ann (Scherman) Kreitzberg. They have been blessed with three children- Willie, George and Mary.
William Knoke, son of Christian and Minnie Knoke, was born in Otter Creek township, La Salle county, Illinois, July 29, 1852. He grew to manhood in his native State, receiving his education in the public schools. He lived with his parents until his marriage, March 15, 1883, to Lizzie Hofmaster. They have one child-Minnie. He settled on his present farm at the time of his marriage. It is located in the southwest quarter of section 10.
Gottlieb Holdorf came to Noble town- ship, Cass county, in 1875, and purchased on section 20, and since that time has im-
proved his farm, bought forty acres more built a good frame house, and made every improvement deemed necessary in farm- ing. He was born in Prussia, on the 8th, of February, 1842, and when eight years of age, his parents came to America, and settled in Wisconsin. Gottlieb made his home with his parents until seventeen years of age, when he went to Illinois, and was engaged in farming in DuPage county. He enlisted in 1862, in company I, One Hundred and Fifth Illinois In- fantry, and served until the close of the war. He took a part in the battles of Burnt. Hickory, Lookout Mountain, At- lanta, Plum Creek, and many others. After his discharge, he returned to Du- Page county, and farmed until 1866, when he moved to Wisconsin, and was there married to Dorethea Rave, a native of Michigan. In 1868 they moved to Illi- nois, and remaining there until 1875, when he came to Cass county. Mr. and Mrs. Holdorf have been blessed with five children-Edward, William, Frank, Her- man and Henry.
William Berg owns and occupies a farm on section 21, Noble township. He was born in Germany, June 28, 1858. When ten years of age, his parents came to America, and settled in LaSalle county, Illinois, and there remained about four years. In 1873, he came to Cass county, Iowa, and located in Noble township. His farm when he first settled, was wild, and until 1881, was owned by his father, but at that time he purchased the estate of one hundred and twenty acres, and since that eighty more, and has improved and cultivated it. He is chiefly engaged in raising stock, having one of the finest
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farms for this occupation in the county. Mr. Berg was married in May. 1882, to Julia, daughter of Fritz and Elizabeth Saemisch, by whom he has had two chil- dren-Eddie and Elizabeth.
Charles Kuester owes his nativity to "Hanover, Germany, having been born on the 30th of January, 1853, and is the son of Christopher and Catharine Kues- ter. When about twelve years of age he came to America with his parents, and settled in LaSalle county, Illinois, where he grew to manhood, and was there educated in the public schools. He lived with his parents seventeen years, when he began farming, and was so engaged until 1873, when he came to Cass county and bought eighty acres of wild land on section 17, Noble township. He has since improv- ed one hundred and sixty acres of land, and has erected a large frame house. He has a fine large pasture, and has in all his land two hundred and forty acres, which he intends to cultivates, Mr. Kuester was married in 1875, to Catha- rine E. Abhaw, by whom he has had four children-John Adam, Sophia Mary, Bertha Matilda, and Louis.
Jacob Wasmer, a native of Switzer- land, was born on the 25th of June, 1850, and attended school until sixteen years of age, when he learned the plaster and stone mason trade. When nineteen years of age he left his native land and came to America, landing at New York. He came directly to Iowa, and was employed in farming in Winneshiek county until 1878, when he came to Cass county, and in 1875, purchased land on section 20, Noble township. He has improved all his land, built a frame house of consider-
able size, and has planted a grove of shade and fruit trees. Mr. Wasmer was mar- ried in 1875, to Louisa Brennaman, a na- tive of Ohio. They have two children- Adeline Helena, and an infant, May Ettie. Mr. W. is one of the successful and enterprising farmers of the county, and by his great ability and industry, has made his fortune from the once wild prairie.
Edward A. Baer, the class leader in the Reno Methodist Episcopal church, was born in Davis county, Iowa, on the 26th of January, 1849, and is the son of David and Clarissa (Railsbach) Baer, the former of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. Ed- ward grew to manhood and was educated in the public schools of Davis county, was engaged in teaching and farming there until the winter of 1876, when he came to Cass county, and settled in Edna township. In 1877 he purchased land on the northeast quarter of section 24, of Noble township. He has improved his land, built a nice frame house, and has planted one of the finest groves in the townsbip. Mr. Baer was united in mar- riage in 1870 to Belle Howard, a native of Virginia. Their union has been blessed with three children-Ralph B.,. Ada G. and Clarissa Mande.
EDUCATIONAL.
The first school in what is now Noble township was in the limits of the present District No. 8. Mary Hardenberg was the first teacher, and school was held in a cabin on the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 28. There are nine school districts in the township, each comprising four sections of land, and
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
each district is provided with a neat school building.
District No. 1 .- The first school house was erected for this district in 1873, and the first teacher was Miss Mary Dicker- son. The house is located on the north- west corner of section 12.
District No. 2 .- The first school house was erected for this district in 1868, on the southwest corner of section 4. It was sold to William Smith, and a new one erected in 1876, on the northeast corner of section 9. Frank Sherwood was the first who wielded the birch in this house.
District No. 3 .- The school house of this district is situated on the northwest quarter of section 8.
District No. 4 .- The building used for educational purposes in this district is sit- uated on the south west quarter of sec- tion 17.
District No. 5 .- The present school building of this district, which was also the first one, was erected in 1872. It is located on the northwest quarter of sec- tion 22. The first teacher in this school was Miss Lizzie Ely.
District No. 6 .- The first house for educational purposes in this district was erected on the southeast corner of section 14, in 1878. Edward A. Baer was the first teacher in this school.
District No. 7 .- The building for this district was erected in 1875, and com- menced its first term with John Andrews as its teacher. Its location is on the north- east quarter of the southeast quarter of section 25.
District No. 8 .- The first school in this district was taught in a private house in 1859, by Mary Hardenbergh. In the fol-
lowing year a building was erected for school purposes on the south west quarter of the southeast quarter of section 28. That house was used until 1872, when it was sold. It is now owned and occupied as a dwelling by Clark Davis. The same year, the present building was erected. It is of the usual size and materials, and is situated on the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 27.
District No. 9 .- The school house is located on the southeast corner of section 30. It was erected in 1871, and Frank Sherwood was the first who taught the young idea how to shoot, beneath its roof.
CEMETERY.
The German cemetery is located in the northeast quarter of the northeast quar- ter of section 15. Joseph Weirich dona- ted one acre of land for this purpose. The first burial was Franklin, infant son of V. J. and Caroline Weirich. This was in December, 1871. The trustees of the ceme- tery are: Jolin Hampel, William Smith and Philip Eppelsheimer.
RELIGIOUS.
There are three religious organizations in the township: the Newlon's Grove Bap- tist church, the German Evangelical asso- ciation and the Evangelical St. John's church. The latter has a substantial church edifice.
The first meeting of the German Evan- gelical association of Noble township was held at Christian Knoke's house on sec- tion 10, in 1870, and shortly afterward services were held at the residences of of Michael Letz and Joseph Weirich. Rev. William King was the first pastor. Meet- ings are held in the school house of dis-
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trict No. 5, with Rev. Kleinfelter as pas- tor. (See Ecclesiastical chapter.)
The Newlon's Grove Baptist church was organized at the residence of J. T. Martin, on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 12, January 17, 1882, by Rev. C. Brooks, who had preached previously in the neighborhood, but never to an organ- ization before. There are now sixteen members of the society, and they hold services in district No. 1 school house. (See Ecclesiastical chapter.)
Fritz Saemisch has been superintendent of the Sabbath School of the German Evangelical association for a number of years.
There is a substantial church building on section 15, belonging to the St. John's Evangelical church society, erected in 1884, at a cost of $2,800. Their first meetings were held at the residence of Christ. Müller, in 1872, with Rev. William Bübring as pastor. The present pastor is Rev. Francis Buschman, and the offi- cers are: Henry Müller, president; John Meyer, secretary.
POSTOFFICE.
The old Edna postoffice was removed to Newlon's Grove, but without chang-
ing its original name. Cyrus New- lon was the first postmaster at the new lo- cation. He was succeeded by Samuel Newlon, and he again by H. S. Liston. Robert Magarell was the next postmaster, and he kept the office at his house in Bear Grove. It was discontinued while he was in office, but re-established as the New- lon's Grove postoffice in 1876, with H. S. Liston as postmaster. Mail was received on the Atlantic and Villisca route twice a week. When the Atlantic Southern rail- road was built, in 1880, the postoffice was discontinued. H. S. Liston was the last postmaster.
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OFFICERS,
In the fall of 1870, township officers were elected, as follows: trustees, U. Daft, H. S. Liston and William E. Buckley; clerk, E. J. Shields.
The township officers for 1884, are: trustees, Henry Ackerman, chairman; J. B. Hull and H. S. Liston; clerk, A. S. Eshelman; assessor, D. H. Westfield; jus- tices of the peace, E. J. Shields and J. T. Mccullough.
CHAPTER XXVI.
GRANT TOWNSHIP.
Lying in the extreme northeastern cor- ner of the county of Cass, is the civil township known as Grant. It comprises all of congressional township 77 north, of
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range 34 west, and contains about 24,000 acres. It is bounded on the north by Audubon county, on the east by Adair county, on the south by Lincoln township,
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
and on the west by Benton township. The soil is generally of a rich, black, sandy loam, although some of the light colored "mulatto" soil of the bluff deposit comes to the surface, but both these are of the quick, productive class, and nearly every thing planted yields most abund- antly, and that quickly. Small grains do excellently well, but corn more than sur- passes it in its yield. The native indige- nous grasses which grow so luxuriantly on the unbroken prairies, would afford an almost unlimited pasturage for a vast amount of stock, and nature seems to have endowed this spot with nearly all the at- tributes of a good agricultural region. Both Turkey creek and Crooked creek traverse its territory, and, with the numer- ous smaller creeks and rivulets, drain and water the entire township. Turkey creek has its head waters in Adair county and enters Grant on the southwest quarter of section 13, and crossing that, and sections 22, 23. 28, 29 and 31, in its south westerly course toward its parent stream, makes its exit in the southwest of section 31. Crooked creek enters, from Audubon county, in the north west corner of sections 4, and bisects sections 5 and 7, passing into Benton on the west line of the south- west quarter of the latter. Numerous small streams, tributaries of these and other water-courses, spread throughout Grant, like the veins on a leaf, leaving but very few quarter sections without same description of running water.
The main line of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad crosses the township in a somewhat diagonal line, entering on the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 13, and
crosses to the southwest corner of section, thence west along the south line of sec- tion 14, then south westerly, intersecting sections 22, 28, 29 and 31, leaving Grant on the west line . of the latter. There is one station on this line in the township, at the thriving city of Anita, on sections 21 and 28, which is noted further on.
There is but little timber in Grant township, the only considerable body be- ing what is known as Morrison's Grove, south of Turkey creek, on sections 29, 31, 32 and 33. Another grove is also found on section 28, south of Anita. Many of the settlers, however, are with excellent foresight, setting out and cultivating arti- ficial groves contiguous to their dwell- ings, which will in a few years, obviate this lack of timber.
The surface is a gently rolling prairie in most parts, but a little of it is hilly, but not to a degree as to militate against its use for the purposes of agriculture. The township is being settled up by a thrifty and intelligent class of emigrants, most of whom are American or German, and but a few years must elapse ere Grant will take a foremost place in the bright galaxy of townships that go to make up Cass county.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The pioneer settler of Grant township was Dr. Gershom S. Morrison, who located about a mile southwest of where Anita now stands, in August, 1853, at what is known as Morrison's Grove. Here be en- tered a large tract of land, and erected a double log cabin, which was considered as a large house, in those days. He came here from Bureau county, Illinois. The doctor kept the stage station, which was
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
called Morrison's Station, or Grove, for many years, and was known from one side of the State to the other. He was a great hunter, and during the winter of 1855-6, killed in the neighborhood of one hundred and fifty deer. He was a regu- larly educated physician, and had prac- ticed medicine in Illinois, previous to his location here, and would sometimes pre- scribe for his neighbors in this county, although he did not follow it as a profess- ion, or means of livelihood During the winter of 1854-5, Doctor Morrison, Peter Kanawyer, R. D. McGeehon and J. R. Kirk spent about two months in staking ont a road, bridging the streams, etc., from Dalmanutha, Guthrie county, to the Nish- nabotna river, about two mile from Indian- town, a distance of about forty miles. All the road work and bridge building was done by the settlers, without pay, up to 1856, through this part of the country, as there were no regularly laid out roads, and the taxes were not sufficient to do it, or even keep them in repair. The West- ern stage company, put a line of four- horse coaches on to this road, in May, 1855, from Des Moines to Council Bluffs, and the first station west of Dalmanutha, a distance of eighteen miles lying be- tween with a house. Doctor Morrison died while a resident of the township in 1863. His wife, whose name was Lura, and after whom the extinct township of Lura was named, died in 1867.
Meredith Roland settled in this town- ship, on section 30, about the same time. He removed to Guthrie county in 1859, where his family still reside. He came back on a visit to his old friend Edward Griffith, and while here died. His wife
and his sister, Mrs. Tatnall, were with him at the time of his death.
Lewis Beason came in 1861, to Grant township, settling on section 28, on the site Anita now stands. He has lived in Atlantic township for a number of years previous to his settlement here. The property so long known as Beason's stage station is now owned by F. H. Whitney, of Atlantic. In the fall of 1870, Mr. Beason removed to his present residence in Benton township.
William E. Peters made a settlement on section 30, in April, 1862, where he resided until his death, which occurred on Thursday, April 10, 1879. He was born in North Wales, March 4, 1823, where his parents died when he was three years of age. In 1840 he went to Scotland, and from there he came to this country in 1853, settling at Pittsburg, Pennsyl- vania. From Pittsburg he came to this county, in company with Edward Griffith, now a resident of Grant township. His early life was one of hardship, toil and privation, owing to the early demise of his parents and his consequent deperd- ence upon charity until old enough to provide for himself, when the necessity of untiring labor in providing for his physical being robbed him of the privi- leges of even a common school educa- tion. Yet, notwithstanding all this, he was known here as a self-educated man, and one whose opinions, the result of long and patient study and practical experience, were treated with the respect due them. His life before coming to this county was a busy and eventful one, and his hand to hand battle with the world had peculiarly fitted him for the duties
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
required of the pioneer settlers of Cass county. The wild and sterile aspect of this county twenty-two years ago had no terrors for him, and by his energy and industry he became fully entitled to the honor of doing as much, if not more, than other men in transforming the long ago Cass county into the fruitful fields and pleasant homes of to-day. His indomitable nature was not checked by the disadvantages to be contended with, but rather expanded at beholding the broad and wild acres on which grew only the wild prairie grasses, and from the rich soil that grew them be yearly gath- ered a harvest which maintained him and his in comparative comfort, and afforded a balance which is sufficient to enable those he left behind him to live in no fear of poverty. He was a strict Christian, having embraced religion at the carly age of fourteen years, and all who knew him here recognized in him a faithful and intelligent adherent to the religion he professed. The influence his consistent Christian life had upon this community cannot be estimated, but it had its effect, and that many men have been made bet- ter because of his having lived here can not be doubted. At the time of his death he was a prominent member of the Con- gregational churchi, at Anita, being also one of the first members of that organ- ization. IIe was married in the summer of 1854, at Pittsburg, to his relict, Mrs. Dinah E. Peters, and though no children blessed their union, all the love of a warm and generous nature was bestowed upon his wife and their adopted daugh- ter, Miss Cassie Peters, who still mourn their loss. In concluding this mention of
one of the pioneers of this county, we take genuine pleasure in stating that, as a man, he was honest, upright and noble; as a Christian, consistent and devoted; as a husband, kind, watchful and provident; as a neighbor, universally beloved. He had hosts of friends and no enemies, and enjoyed the respect and esteem of all with whom he came in contact. In his death Cass county lost one of its oldest and best citizens.
: R. W. Calkins came to this locality in 1868, and located on sections 28 and 33, where he still resides.
R. W. Calkins was born in Saratoga county, New York, June 4, 1832. He is a son of Elisha F. and Almira (Garnsey) Calkins, natives of New York. They were the parents of six children, five of whom are still living-Isaac G., of Janes- ville, Rock county, Wisconsin; Charles F., of Moline, Illinois; R. W., George W., of Chicago; Minerva J., wife of Henry Faircloth. In 1842 or '43, Elisba Calkins removed with his family to Rock Island county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming. He died there in 1849. His wife's death occurred at Moline in 1878. They were members of the Baptist church and he was a Whig and a strong temperance man. He was a man of more than ordinary ability and was highly respected in the county where he resided. The subject of this sketch was ten years old when he went to Illinois. He secured an academic education and at the time of his father's death was pre- pared to enter college. October 20, 1861, he was married to Mary C. S. Pruyu, of New York. Mrs. Calkins was one of a family of eight children. In August,
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
1861, Mr. Calkins enlisted in the Nine- teenth Illinois Cavalry, company B, and rendezvoused at Camp Douglas, where he was appointed sergeant. He was after- ward appointed recruiting officer, and was instrumental in raising two compa- nies. He was transferred to the Twelfth *Illinois Cavalry in December, 1861. He again enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Illinois regiment and was commissioned first lientenant. The regi- ment was stationed at Cairo, Illinois, and took part in several raids after Price and Morgan. He returned in the fall of 1864, engaged in mercantile busi- ness. In 1868, he came to Grant town- ship, Cass county, Iowa, and located on sections 28 and 33, where he has since re- sided. Here he purchased two hundred and ten acres of prairie land, then un- broken, and now has a farm of which he may well be proud. In 1876, he began the hardware business. In 1880, the firm of Calkins and King was formed and con- tinued until January, 1884. He opened the first lumber yard and agricultural im- plement warehouse of the city of Anita. He is a Republican in politics and has held local offices of trust. Mr. Calkins is one of the enterprising business men of the county. Both he and his wife have been members of the Congregational church since its organization.
S. W. Wallace came to Grant township from Clayton county, Iowa, where he had been engaged in farming, and located near the old Morrison place, and in 1870, removed to section 24, where they still live.
S. W. Wallace, an early settler of Cass county, was born near West Port, Essex
county, New York, October 17, 1834. His parents were John Wallace, who was born May 31, 1804, at Durham, Canada, and Sally (Nichols) Wallace, born in 1802. They were married in Essex county, New York, in 1831. Both are still living, hav- ing been married fifty-three years. They had four children-Mary Ann, Charles A., Matthew W., and Sir William. Charles A. Wallace was a member of the Twelfth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He participated in the battles of Fort Dor- elson and Pittsburg Landing. At the latter place he was wounded and taken prisoner, but was soon after exchanged and sent to the hospital at St. Louis. Here he received an invalid's leave of absence, and. went home for a few weeks, after which he rejoined his regiment and was sent to Vicksburg. After the surrender of that point, he was sent north and died at Helena, Arkansas. He left a wife and one daughter. Mathew M. Wallace was a member of the Sixteenth Iowa Infantry, and died in the service, at Columbus, Kentucky. In 1853, the subject of this sketch left Essex county, and emigrated to Clayton county, Iowa, where he took land and made a farm. He removed in 1861, to Cass county, and located upon a farm near the present town of Anita, where he remained until 1870. In that year he moved to his present residence. He has a fine farm, containing one hun- dred and sixty acres, valued at thirty dol- lars per acre, Mr. Wallace was married April 30, 1859, to Mary C. Jones, a daugh- ter of one of the early settlers of Clayton county, Iowa. This marriage took place in Prairie du Chien, Crawford county, Wisconsin, the ceremony being performed
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